THE NOVELIST. THE RANEE'S LOVE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5517, 4 May 1889, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE NOVELIST. THE RANEE'S LOVE.

CHAPTER V. TIGEB RAJAH.

' Dundoo isn't a regular nigger,' interposed an elderly man, as the American spoke. ' He's only an Eurasian ; that is, if he isn't a Chinaman or Malay, as some say.' Hammond turned rather haughtily at the volunteer remark and saw a grizzled old gentleman in a white suit, who looked as if be had tinned into yellow parchment for life. ■•...-.■ 'lam an old hand, you know, sir, the yellow gentleman added, 'as he noticed Norman's surprise, • which must be my excuse, for speaking to you without an introduction. My name is MoDevitt —Duncan McDevitt, collector of the district, and I saw you come in Dundoo's gharry, so Iknow you must be all right.' ■ Hammond found that his new acquaintance was in earnest; for in another moment he had begun to introduce the American all round, so that the hitherto shy and povertystricken youth found himself, of a sndden, become quite a porson of distinction, owing to the friendship of this singular man, Dundoo. . .;

As soon a»» he had exchanged compliments, cheroots and bows with the various members of the group, Norman asked: • Then who is this Mr.. Dundoo, if you can tell me, and what is known about him ? Do you really think it would be sate for mo to enter his service as he wishes me f ■

Old MfDevitt laughed. ' Safe ? Why, : blees your soul, Mr. Hammond, there isn'ta man in this, room that wouldn't jump at the chance -of serving Dundoo, thongh you're the first man that ever got it, as far ac I know. Why, the man's name is as good as the Bank of England from Shanghai to Aden, and that's saying a good deal. Hβ never trades any further than the Bed Sea Seems to have a superstition against it. Pardon the question,' but may I ask what post he has offered you: and if he has proposed, a fair salary ? You I know he . has a reputation for batii-jr the English, for. some reason or other, s like poison, and he puts it to them hot whenever ihe gets them ia his power. So I warn you to make him pay you well, for you'll lead a dog's life under his. roof if he wants you there.' Hammond hesitated a moment. Ho did not like to disclose the real offer that had been made to him, but replied: •Well, he has been very liberal, very liberal indeed. He wants a sort of general manager, to act as his confidential agent, and I should have to learn all those languages, I 'suppose.' McDevitt gave a low whistle, as he observed :

• Aha ! Is that it ? I fancy I see the reason, eir. You are American, and he can employ you without compromising hie prejudices. By all meand take his offer, air and be sure that we shall all be glad to hayo a human being to deal with, 2 we get into a hole, instead of Dundoo, who, confound him, is just a.leetlo too hard on a debtor. You can be assured that no one will look down on you, Dundoo not being a native.' ' And what makes you think that?' asked Hammond.

' Little things; whites of his eyes, fingernails, voice, manner, all sorts of trifles no one bat an old hand notices. There ie white blood in him, somewhere, and every one knows it. No thoroughbred nigger would ever have beaten off Tiger Kajahthewayhe did once. That is what settled hie reputation all over the East Indies.' Hammond was attracted by the singular name, and asked: 4 And who is Tiger Rajah, sir, if you please! Eemember lam green.' McDovitt made a sort of grimace, as he replied: *••* ' If ever ytfu'meet him you won't need to aek who he is. Tiger Rajah used to be the biggest pirate in these parts before Dundoo took hold of him and reduced him to order, Nowadays one rarely hears of anything but a sneaking,boat dash, a few junks scuttled, or things of that sort. But time was, and not so long ago either, when Tiger Bajah had the cnoek to attack the P. 0. steamers themselves, and come near breaking , up this line.'

' You surprise me,' Hammond said. « Whore does this pirate live, and how did Mr. Dundoo get the boat of him ?' • Take a seat in the big chair and have a peg, while I toll ye,' was the Scotchman's reply. And the invariable Anglo-Indian drink, called ' ft peg,' had to be ordered, with plenty of ice, before Mr. MoDevitt could tell his etory in comfort. ' This was the way it was, d' ye see,' he began. ' Ye know the interior of thin Malacca Peniuhula is, to all intents and purposes, in a state oi naiure; that is us far as white men are concerned. We daren't venture into the forests for fear of fever; and the tigrere and the niggers, or I should batter say, Malays, have it all to themselves. Lord knows what's in there. They have all sorts of stories of temples and ruins of old cities, aud what not; but I fancy that's all moonshine, like most nigger talk. At all events, the Malay rajahs of the interior do just as they please, and all Europe combined couldn't drive them out unless we cut down every tree and burned our way in. Well, the rajahs have one peculiarity that possibly accounts for our being here in this room, swigging sangarees and brandy pawnees, instead of grilling over slow fires. That peculiarity is that every one wants to be master of all the rest; co they keep fighting like the Kilkenny cats. One of them was called the Sultan of Jobore, and he it was who cold the site of Singapore to Sir Stamford Baffles, to get guns enough to beat his next neighbor, who had nothing but matchlocks. But, anyway, to niake a long etory ehort, all the rajahs that live on the eeu-coaet are pirates when thty get a chance, and Tiger Rajah was the biggest brute of the lot. That's why they called him Tiger. , ' And where did he have his place f' asked Hammond. ,' ~, ~ ' No one knows, sir. If they did we could soon rout them all out. Yβ see, on the west side of the peninsula we have Maulmin, Pnlo Penang, and thie same Singapore; but on the east Bide it's all a howling wilderness, with never.a human habitation to be seen for the thousand miles from here to Bangkok. All along that coast the pirate rajahs live, and old Tiger used to be, and probably is still, the worst.' ' ' And how did Mr. Dundoo get the beet of him ?' auked Hammond, with increasing curiosity. • Well, .yo sco, tho way of it was this: Tiger had been growing very bold, and had aj'ually taken a P. O. steamer, and sent in a bttfff iv P* ears noßee t0 tlle governor for ransom of ill? owners, ye know, with word that if they dufc't P*y "P 80 much ' tt man or W ' Eire and noses ! What do you nean ?' asked Hammond, astonished, ' I mean, eimply, that Tiger Bjyahtook some of the prisoners, and cut off a pi,aee of ear or a, whole ear, or a nosd, as the case might be, taoked a label on it with the owner's name, and sent word that if fluch and suoh a ransom was not sent within a week, the other ear or come part of the body would follow, with a double demand: failing which, the head would-be st> uck off. Well, of course, suoh a demand made a deuce of a row here; the more so that, as it happened, we hadn't a man-of-war on the station, and none coming for over three weeks. The old brute knew that, and timed his dash at a moment when this station wait unable to protect itself.? '.'■'' ' Were you hero, then?' asked Hammond, interested, in spite of'himself j' at this angular story, delivered in such a commonplace way. MoDevitt made another grimace, and replied: ' To my sorrow I was, and I can tell you, Hammond, it was what you Yankees call a high old time. There was the pirate ,prahu, as impudent as you please, lying jnet out of gun-shot of the fort, sending in her confounded canoe, with the bag of ears and noses: and half the people in town howling for some one in the family, on board the Mahrutta. Yee, it was the name boat. Seeing her here, reminds me oi it, to-night. She was running along tho coast, it .appeared,

when, somehow or other, her screw got: fouled, and she had to stop to get out boats and olear it. , They found that something had been towing overboard—owing probably to treachery on the part of the lascars—and that a good three hours' work lay. before them, to get the screw cleared. Ithappaned. of course,' at night, The trick could not have been done in daytime. Then, while they were helpless, down came a lot of prahus, with long guns, and inside of half an hour, all the passengers were taken off, with the best part of the cargo, while the ship was rent on her way to Bangkok, minus everything of value here.' ' And where did Mr. Dundoo come in ?' asked Norman.

.' He f Oh, I forgot that, #r rather I was coming to it. When the whole towu was in an agony of terror, Mr. Dundoo offered his services to the governor, to bring back the prisoners, at his ~own risk; and pay the ransom, if need be Of course tha offer was accepted, though no one believed he could conquer old Tiger. But the upshot of it was he sailed out of the harbor, with a lot of Malay prahus, and, two days later, brought back all the prisoners unharmed, after their first clipping. They told us how they had been taken somewhere into the jungle, blindfolded and fettered, and that they heard the sounds of a great fight, after which they were resoued by Mr. Dundoo, who brought them back iv trimuph, and earned tbo title he has held, ever since, of Whampoa, the liger-Tamer! He pretty effeotu»lly tamed old Tiger Rajah, who' has never held up his head since. And as for Mr. Dundoo, his trade, since that time, has been simply overwhelming. He is a sort of uncrowned- king,withi more real power than many a rajah, who is over head and ears in debt to Dundoo.' , ,-.■■..:.

'Then you think it quite safe for me to enter hie service?' the American said, enquiringly, 'even to a contraot for seven years, to devote my whole time, day and night, and be, in fact, almost a slave to his every whimP' ■..-,• ,-.... .:■•. ■ McDovitt nodded. ......

'If he pays you well enough. Imagine yourself private scoretary to an autocrat, and make him pay you., Dundoo will stand anything. I have not the slightest doubt he is * capable of giving you ten thousand pounds a your for your services, if you stick for it.'. ; ' : ■•-■•.; '. .

' That is not what I was thinking of, , the American said. ' I was thinking whether some of the services ho might require, miyht not be <-uoh as no white gentleman would like to render.' ' ,

The old Scot gave Mm a keen look, ondor hia grey eyebrows. ; - . : • ' Yell hae to tak the ruak o , that, mon,' he said, in bis broadest tones. * I'll no advise. Bat siller is the thing. ' I've known a heap done for siller, out here.' ; j 'So it appears,' remarked Hammond,' thoughtfully. ' I suppose I have no right to be more squeamish than the rest of you.' Then be smoked awhile, and at last rose and took leave of hie friends, entering the ghttrry and giving tho word :. ; ' Take me home, Chang Lee.' ■. ■ Twenty minutes later he was on the roof of Mr. Dundee's hall, and found that gentleman smoking away as tranquilly as if be had never stirred from the place. : , ' Mr. Dundoo,' he said, ' I have concluded to enter your service, on the condition that you demand nothing of me inconsistent with my duties as a Christian. Tbat is all, sir.' • .- ; i :;-

Mr. Dimdoo made no answer. Hβ did not appear to hear him till Norman Hammond had repeated hie speech, when ho slowly raised his eyes from the roof on which he sat, and said, gravely: • I am not a Christian, you know. My religion waa growing old when your Moses led those miserable, enslaved Jews out of Egypt. But I know what you mean—you mean you don't want to be asked to do any murders, as you call them, or things of that sort. Make your mind easy. I have work for you that will suit you. You are engaged. The money I promised will be paid to your account to-morrow, in Singapore, and you have only to draw on it as you please, and live here in this house.' ' But what are to be my duties P' asked the young man, uneasily. Mr. Dundoo shrugged his shoulders. • How impatient you Western people are! Now, a Malay would never have asked that question, but waited till they came to him. You will have to do the same. You are simply to live in this house; not to leave the grounds without my permission; and to hold yourself in readiness to obey my orders'

' And have you, for example, any" orders now ?' asked Hammond. ' I have. They are to go to bed,' the other replied, abruptly. 'In the morning, you will breakfast, -without company, because I shall be busy. You can amuae yourself looking at everything here. You bare control of all the servants,- if you can make them understand you. You can take a ride, if you like, and your pick of my horses. Only don't go to town. In the ereaing, dress for dinner. You will find evening dress in your apartments; and hereafter my own tailor will supply you, us he does me. We are about the same size. Your only duty, to-morrow, will be to make love to Miss Helen Campbell,- at dinner, and after dinner. Iβ that all i'

Norman felt his breath coming short, as he asked:

■ I—l beg pardon; bnt are you in earnest about Miss Campbell f The Oriental turned on him swiftly, and threw out the epithet, as if at a dog: ♦ Idiot! Do you dare to question ins!' He drew in his breath with > a hissing sound, and Hammond could plainly hear the grinding of his toeth, while the whites of his eyes showed in the semi-darkness of the stars.

For a moment his hand quivered over the jar os the hookah he was smoking, as if he were about to throw it at Norman's head; and then, of a sudden, he calmed down aa quiokly us his anger had risen, and said, with a light laugh: ' I forgot. You are a Westerner; and they are all crazy. Yes.it is my distinct order that you make love to Mies Helun, and if you can induce her to promise to be your wife, ho much' the better. Tell her you are' worth twenty thousand pounds a year, which is true; and that the only condition coupled with it, is living in this part of the world for seven years at the outeidu ; and, possibly, only for one. I will take uare of the proud father and mother, Hammond ; but you must get the girl for yourself. Now be off.*

He waved his hand with the air of an Eastern potentate dismissing a suppliant who has grown to be a bore; and Norman Hammond, hardly sure yet whether he was asleep or awake, went on to a magnificent suite of apartments, and to bed, where he , lay reflecting on the strange inoidente that promised to make tho day just past the most memorable in hie life. It seemed absolutely incredible that : the prize which he had that very morning thought perfectly unattainable, should now be about to drop into his arras, all of a sudden, without any agency of bis own. Hie orders were to ask Helen Campbell to marry him ; and the man who gave them had told him that he, the riohest man in the East, would be answerable for I the oonsent of the proud Sir Donald and Lady Campbell, who had hitherto treated the penniless American with a distant and patronizing courtsuy that' marked their sense of the difference, placed by Providence, between him and a Scotch general, a baronet t.o boot, with a pedigree like the great se/t-serpent. Jt seemed altogether too gpod to be true, and even while jthinking about it, Hammond started, as he remembered he Ijad never aeked old McDevitt anything about this mysterious Kanee Ajnbala. Who wae she, nnd what connection was there between her uud Dundoo? She did not behave like hifl wlfo, according to Eastern notions of wives. Who and what could she be ? . Even while thinking of it, the young fellow flushed scarlet iv the darkness, as he remembered tho fact that she had kissed him, and woudored what Helen would say, if she knew it. Then he comforted his conscience by saying to himself: ' It was quito unsolicited on my part, I m sure i and what could Ido ? But she is a very strange woman, and—well 'I don't thiun she 'lJ do it agaiu. But she is wouderfuih beautiful. I don't think even Helen would deny that. ,

And then, still musing about tho Ranee and Dundoo and Maharajah, the eyes of the young man closed in spite of himself, and he fell asleep, to dream that Mr. Dundoo had turned into a great black tiger, and was stalking Helen Campbell, with the object of' devouring her, while the beautiful Ranee was holding Norman back, with such strength that ■he -was utterly powerless to stir. . ■ ■' . , .

The progress of the beast was so slow, and' the agony of his own position so great, that Hammond woke up, at last, with a start, bathed in sweat, to hear, at the open window, the moaning roar of the black tiger lnjnnelf, and to find the first streaks of dawn in the east.

The day had come when he was to propose to Helen Campbell. The question was, could Mr. Dundoo keep his- word, and secure the consent of Sir Donald P CHAPTER VI. f THE.DINNBB PABTy. * . ' When Hammond finally rose for the day, be found himself surrounded with obsequious servants, of whom Chang Lee was the only one who understood English. -- - Chanar Lee was a good-looking Chinaman, with a tall and vigorous frame, and a bold, rather impudent "face, when one caught him unawares; but at other times a model of obsequious politeness.

He answered ull Normuu's questions and told him thut ■Om Phra,' as he' .always called his master, meaning ' the great lord,' was busy. r

Hβ added that his orders were to show the American sahib all the attention possible! and to do anything he wished, except- take him to see Om Phra. ■■ ■■'•■•;..

- Ho asked for orders as to breakfast, to which Hammond could ■ only reply,, wisely enough: . >

• I don't know anything about what is good in this part of the world. ■ Bring the best breakfast you can think of, Chang Lee.'

In response to which he received a feast of curries and all sorts of strange dishes, together with a profusion of fruit, to be found nowhere in the world but under the equator. Then not knowing what to do with himself,- till the momentous hour when Helen, Campbell should visit tho house, he strolled around the, aviary and menagerie, till he was tired, seeing nothing .of.the master of all this wealth, more than, if he had been dead, until noon had come,' when he received a note from Mr. Dunduo, delivered, by a Malay, who exhibited a tongueleas mouth to explain why he saluted without a sound. ■•••'•.,-,.,..■

The note simply said : ' The bearer, my mute, La-oot, will give you your bank-book, and you will receive your uniforms, etc, this afternoon. It is my desire that you take a ride into the jungle with Chang Lee, in the direction of Johore, while waiting .for Sir Donald. I do not want him to know you are in my service till I tell him myself. ' Dtotdoo.'

The Malay bent himself low before Norman as the American looked up enquiringly, and then placed in his hand a bank-book, which proved to contain a credit of two million dollars American money, to the name of Norman Hammond. With the bank-book was a cheque-book; and Norman more to find out whether his good fortune was a dream than for any other purpose, drew a cheque for' a thousand dollars, and told the dumb Malay in English: . ■.■ .. < I want you to get that in hundreds, with one hundred in gold.' Do you understand?' ' ; !.«■

The dumb Malay bowed low again, retired from the - apartment and came back in less than five minutes with tho money, in the form requested, at which Hammond asked:

' But where did you get this F At what bank? , •

La-oot shrugged his shoulders and looked at the ground. Norman saw that it was useless to ask him any questions, so he pat the money in his pocket and began to feel proud. The fact that he had a thousand dollars in his'pocket comforted him immensely. Then he dismissed La-oot and told Chang Lee that he wanted to take a ride to Johore, at which the Chinaman showed his white teeth and said, with a shake of the head: ■

' Hab idee haldee gettee to Johole dis day, Sahib. Mβ gettee hossee. Catchee idee goodee, goodee. . Then he added, pointing to a room into which Norman had not yet entered. 'All sahib new coatee tousee, bootee, eady idee. , ' . ,•• Ho ' opened the door as he spoke, and showed Hammond a complete suit of a very gorgeous and comfortable sort of ridingdress for that climate, into which he inducted himself at last, and then set out for the Johore of which Chang Lee had spoken. The horses furnished for his use were quiet, stout-limbed, easy-paced little beasts, which ambled along at about eight miles an hour, and took him deep into the recesses of a virgin forest, in which the only practicable track was the high road made by the Sultan of Johore, after Euglieh macadamised patterns, fifty years bfcfore. Along this road he and Chang Lee urn bled, chatting about all sorts of things, till tho nun began to lower itself, and the Chinaman said: ' Oo catcbee timee gettee to Johole to-day, Sahib. Hab go baokee to gettee dinnel with Om Phla. Ho bad man if we make him wait.' ■ > .■ ' Why, what would he do ?' asked Hammond, looking curiously at the Chinaman, whose generally reckless demeanor had changed to great seriousness as'ho spoke. ' What would the Om Phra do to any one who disobeyed him ?' Chop off his head ?' * Datnoting'atall, , said Chang Lee. ' Me see him stickee on spikee ten meu all in a low, and leave dem all night howl, howl, till die. Ah-h-h-h! ,

He shuddered violently, and' Hammond could not help the name feeling as he realised that the Chinaman meant he' had eeeu ten mm impaled ulive by the Om Phra on Komo occasion or other.

i :, Buthewouldn'timpaleyouorme,Chang, would he V be aeked.

They had turned their horses homewards as he spoke, and Chang only winked his eye meaningly thrice, saying: ■ No can tellee. No what impale mean. If meannee stickee like pig on loast, den yes. Om Pbla stickee debbil himself if catcbee him and raakeo him angly. * Oh, he bad man, Sahib. No can catchee bestee Om Phla.'

Then they galloped on at a much more rapid pace, the sun Kittinjr as they rode into the great gateway, with the stone tigers on either side

To Norman's surprise, he found the grounds full :of soldiers, in picturesque native costume, lining the road to the house, as if • expecting company, and, when he gained the steps, was still more surprised to neo Mr. Dundoo • biraself, dressed in the most immaculate and faultless black evening dress, an>i looking more distinguished than usual, standing at the head of the staircase, as if waiting for him. ! ' Hastily dismounting, ho saluted his new employer, when he was very nearly frightened, in spite of his courage, at the expression which ch.ine over the face of Om Phra who said,-coldly: ■ .. "..■■■■ ■ -• ■ • Mr. Hainmond, you appear to forgot that you are no longer my guest, but my servant. You are very nearly lato, sir. The carriages of the governor and his staff will be here in ten minutes. What does this mean, eir?'

Hammond saw tb,at he would have to take his ground some time or other, and that if he submitted to be hectored like a slave in this manner, the first day, he might as well be one in earnest.' ' ■ . . .•

Returning the cold look with one equally cool, not to say saupy, he replied, quietly : ' It means that if I drees in ten minutes, sir, you have no right to find fault. Wait till I have disobeyed a positive order, before you come down on me like that, Mr. Dundou. You'll find me at my post, before the carriage* drive up. , Without waiting for an answer, he swung away to his own rooms, and, when he got there, was surprised to find Chang Lee staring at him, as if he had seen a ghost, so muoh was he amazed at the temerity of the man who had dared to retort on OmPhra. Aβ for Norman, he knew too well the precarious nature of his tenure of favor, not to hurry into his dress-coat as quickly as possible ; and luckily for him, the suit Vhieh he found lyitig in hj" >'po,in, fitted him excellently, and'ittade him look 'handsomer thai, oven Dundoo, though in a different way, m

he quietly descended the stairs, arranging his ouffa, and said to his new master:

• I await your ordtrs, Mr. Duudoo. , , The Oriental autocrat looked him over with great satisfaction; all the anger seeming to have, vanished from his mind. Truly, Norman, with his silky, square-out beard, of a.bright.golden-yellow, with his ourly hair and frank grey eyes, half an inch shorter than Dundoo, but a good deal heavier, was as handsome .a young fellow as one would see in a day Vjourney, and an excellent foil to his dark host, on account of the difference in their complexion. In fiicfc, the two young nicn, one about twenty-three, the other certainly not thirty, were types of two schools of mahlv beauty, seldom excelled. Dundoo patted Hammond's shoulder in high good humor, and said: 'Th'it is right. I like my people to dome credit. My orders are that you take Misa Campbell in to dinner, while I take the mother.* And Sir Donald—well, we will provide for Sir Donald.' . . . , Even while he was speaking, they heard the roll of wheels, and up the broad gravel sweep, between the rows of muskets and bright raiment, came the governor's carriage, followed by half a dozen officers on horseback, aud a second carriage, full-of others. '...'• " ;, |

The governor had brought all his staff, and half the officers of the po»t; but only Lady Campbell alod Helen had come, ac ladies, to leaven the lump. Not long had Hammond to 'wait before his new duties commenced. Hβ began to realize what they; were, , when he sa* the hurried way in whioh • the young itide-de-carups . tumbled off their home,; to contend for the honor of taking Misa Helen but of the carriage |: but he and Dundoo were there, side by side, and he heard the melodious tones of the Hindoo, saying : : ' Saro Donald, you are velcome to. my lettle , humble home. ' Ladee Campbell,' you veel please-a take-a my arm, and my friond and manager, Mr. Hammond,- vill kindly take ' Mees Helen into dinnaire. Sare Donald, I haf some yon, dat you haf not expect, to moet-a you dis evening, and you sail have-a some yon to take, who is-of de voree best rank-a.'. -..■• •-■•.••>.• ■■?■<* •■• u-'. .

■ . And such waa the pectiliarjpftiwohality ioif the. man, that the yoiing* aide-de-camps, used to tyrannizing over'everything in ih<a shape of a' nigger,'found themoelves thrust aside, and followed meekly ; behind, while the lovely Helen was entering the house on tho arm of 'that Yankee you know, that came on in the Mahratta, you knowj without a penny in his blooming pockets, confound his impudence !'■ ■!''-■"■ ; And so, also, the same , gentlemen found themselves quietly put aside into the lowest : places at the table, without so much "as. a girl to talk to, and on the march there, the procession was .headed by Sir Donald Campbell; tall, stiff as a poker, in his general's uniform, while on his arm was no less , a person than the Ranee Ambaiej looking more beautiful than , even on tho eveniusr before.: ■. .•..■•■•= •.'.. »,;...-..:, -..- : \--.nA-

Where she had sprung from; ; Norraanhad no idea., :Ho had not seen her all day, and had not dared to ask any of the servants about her; the etiquette of the Eaet,"in native houses, haying-been explained to him on the voyage by more than one officer of sepoys. He knew that,-in a native house, women are never mentioned, and therefore was all the more surprised to see the Ranee there, in a gorgeous Malay dress, blazing with though,' much 1 to his surprise, she did not notice him ; in tho least, and was only introduced to' Sir Donald Campbell, in a strange language, which Norman know to be the universal XTrdu or Hindostanee. ■ • ■ ;'■ •' • ' j . She behaved with ineffable haughtiness to the aide-de-camps, and uttered no word of English; but made up for it by talking to Campbell, with an animation and grace that evidently fascinated the old general, and which made him oblivious of every one and everything else. But as for Norman, he soon forgot the Ranee and everything else,' in the fact that he -was seated by the girl of hie , / h'eiart. To him that dinner was a dream of Paradise. It seemed too good to be true , that l he was specially charged to make love to Helen Campbell, with, the promise of a large fortune, and yet he could not doubt it under the oiroumstances. :

Aβ to Helen, there is no knowing what she .thought or did not think because she behaved with great silenpe and constraint during the dinner, casting apprehensive glances ont of tho corner of her eye at her mother, then at her father and the lovely Ranee, as if something were on her mind. Evidently she was very nervous, , and Hammond, in spite of his love, felt- bis courago sinking, as he contrasted her cold and constrained manner with those well-remembered moonlight strolls on the deck of ■ the! Mabratta, when he, poor and all unfriended as he was, bad managed to meet this patrician girl in stolen interviews, where they quoted poetry by the half-hour. In those times Norman had felt almost convinced tbat Helen had a kindness for him, while Helen bad felt absolutely sure that Norman was head over heels in love with her.

And now, here was> Helen, silent and ab-sent-minded, evidently acting under orders of some sort, and not daring to be oordial with him ; while he, after frying every "X----pedient, was greatly relieved when the dinner closed, and the host led tho way to the smoking-room. •-■■ v

Hammond, knowing this to be the signal of separation, waa frowning in perplexity, when he saw the beautiful Ranee sweep down on Lady Campbell, and, overwhelming her with a flood of liquid Malay, ■ which the elder lady partially understood, carried her off, in triumph, leaving Helen and Norman actually alone, as if the procession of men, that was now following Dundoo to the smoking-room, had be»n arranged for the express purpose of leaving the lovers to themselves.

They had come out of the' great diningsiiloon, and were (standing in the bread hall tit the foot of the • staircase, when this happened ; md Helen; in appurent terror und embarrassment, "■ said to' Haminoiid: •• .■■•■•'

.;' Oh; dear, where is mamma ?! 1 must go to her, if you please.' ' ■ Hammond, with a feeling that he had to say something or lose his chancej put hie other hand on her arm, and said, pleadingly, in a low voice: ;

• Are you so anxious to get rid of hie already, Miss Campbell?' ' !

' No, no, , she answered hurriedly,' and flushing deeply. 'It is not thit, but you know—that is—l am afraid she will want me. la- , ■

Andthe poor girl, in the conflict between her desires and the' secret counsels of her mother, stammered and hesitated, not knowing which way to turn, till something caught her eye which seemed to give her great relief, for she turned towards a gorgeous Hiudoo in scarlet, Haying, hastily: ' Which way did mamma go, Lai Mine , P UpetairsF • Lai Sing waa her father's kitrauggar, or butler, and had followed him, after the Oriental custom, with other servants.

This grand'-lookiig creature placed both hands to his head and salaammed very 'low, as he replied; • Please, Missy, miladi she say you better go see gardens with young sahib. She say it worth see, and he know all' bout it , Helen appeaied to be immeaßur<,a,bly surprised at the message, fqr she asked, incredulously: • " '

'Do you mean to, tell me that mamma gave you that message for me, Lang Sing p That she told me to go into the garden with this gentleman ? Really ?'• The kitmugger bowed still lower, ing: 'Dat what mUadi say, Missee.''' " .! Helen looked round for a moment, as if bewildered, but seeing no sign of her mother, she gave a little sigh of; mingled content and tear, and said, slowly; ; ' Well, I suppose it is alright, if mamma says so; though I cannot imagine what can have made her change her mind in' this.' And then, as if she had said too much she colored deeply, and added, hastily:' . ' I suppose we shall have to obey mamma Mr. Hammond; that is, if you think it will be quite safe in this garden.' ' ■ ■Perfeotlv safe for you,' he answered, in a low tone, his voice in spite of himself, ' though jipj qjutito so-- , ' And then, remembering that he was not tlom) yet, ho udded, hastily : ; : ' This is tho way, please.' (For continuation ce X mxl page./

The next moment he and Helen had passed into the quiet garden, which was quite deserted by every one else. The time had come for Norman to know his fate, and be began to tremble as he had not trembled whim the elephant charged him in the streets of Singapore. ' As for Helen, she was., trembling worse than Norman. . [to be continued.] :■ •